Buddleja plant named ‘Podaras #1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleja  plant named ‘Podaras #1’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely flowering habit; sterile creamy white-colored flowers with orange-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Buddleja weyeriana×Buddleja davidii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PODARAS #1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buddlejaplant, botanically known as Buddleja weyeriana×Buddleja davidii andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Podaras #1’.

The new Buddleja plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Ithaca, N.Y. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new compact and sterile Buddleja plants withunique and attractive flower coloration.

The new Buddleja plant originated from a cross-pollination on Mar. 15,2005 in Ithaca, N.Y., of Buddleja weyeriana ‘Honeycomb’, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Buddlejadavidii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Buddlejaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Ithaca, N.Y. in August, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buddleja plant by cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in West Chicago, Ill. since February,2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Buddleja plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buddleja have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Podaras #1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Podaras #1’ as a new and distinct Buddlejaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit.    -   3. Sterile creamy white-colored flowers with orange-colored        centers.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Buddleja differ from plants of the female parent,‘Honeycomb’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleja are more compact than plants of        ‘Honeycomb’.    -   2. Plants of the new Buddleja are more uniformly branched than        plants of ‘Honeycomb’.    -   3. Plants of the new Buddleja and ‘Honeycomb’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Honeycomb’ have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleja differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleja and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have white-colored flowers.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Buddleja are sterile whereas        flowers of plants of the male parent selection are fertile.

Plants of the new Buddleja can be compared to plants of Buddleja davidii‘White Profusion’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants ofthe new Buddleja and ‘White Profusion’ differed in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleja were more compact than plants of        ‘White Profusion’.    -   2. Plants of the new Buddleja and ‘White Profusion’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘White Profusion’ had white-colored        flowers.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Buddleja were sterile whereas        flowers of plants of ‘White Profusion’ were fertile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Buddleja plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Buddleja plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Podaras #1’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Podaras #1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Arroyo Grande, Calif. undercommercial practice during the summer in 12.5-cm containers in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging 21° C.and night temperatures averaging 7° C. Plants were pinched two times andwere one year old when the photographs and description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buddleja weyeriana×Buddleja davidii    ‘Podaras #1’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Buddleja weyeriana ‘Honeycomb’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Buddleja            davidii, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About two weeks at            temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.        -   Time to initiate roots plant, winter.—About two to three            weeks at temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three weeks at            temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About three to four            weeks at temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub; upright and            somewhat outwardly spreading habit; broad inverted triangle;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 82 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 38 cm by 54 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: About nine main branches per            plant. Length: About 78 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode            length: About 3.5 cm to 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture,            developing stems: Lanulose. Texture, mature stems: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, developing: Close to 196A. Color, mature:            Close to 199C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Lanulose.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N189C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 196C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 189A; venation,            close to 189A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 189D; venation, close to 193A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Lanulose. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 189D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers            arranged in compound terminal and axillary panicles; flowers            face upright and outward; panicles roughly conical in shape;            freely flowering habit with about 525 flower buds and            flowers developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Faint, sweet.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three            months after planting; flowering continuous from spring            until frost in California.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about three to four            days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to NN155C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 11 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower throat, diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Flower tube, length.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower tube, diameter at base.—About 2 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single            whorl; petals fused into a narrow tube. Lobe length: About            4 mm. Lobe width: About 3 mm. Lobe shape: Roughly spatulate.            Lobe apex: Rounded. Lobe margin: Erosulate, crinkled.            Texture, upper and lower lobe surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Texture, throat: Slightly pubescent. Texture, tube: Slightly            pubescent. Color: Developing petals, upper surface: Close to            NN155D. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to NN155D.            Fully expanded petals, upper surface: Close to NN155A;            towards the base, close to 10B; venation, close to NN155A.            Fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close to 155B;            venation, close to 155A. Throat: Close to N25B; venation,            close to N25B. Tube: Close to 24C; venation, close to 24C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate calyx. Length:            About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 144C. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Lanulose. Color: Close to 194B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            About 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Lanulose. Color: Close to 194C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four; filaments adnate to the corolla tube. Filament length:            About 2.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 1C. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close            to 194B. Pollen amount: None. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma            color: Close to 144D. Style length: About 1.5 mm. Style            color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Flowers of plants of the new Buddleja are            sterile and seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Buddleja have been not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Buddleja.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Buddleja have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Buddleja plant named ‘Podaras #1’ as illustratedand described.